横尾忠則のアルバムジャケットがまず目を引くこのアルバム。
ストリート色の濃かった前作とはうってかわってＥＷＦオリジナルのサウンドに近いアルバムだよね。
これぞEarth,Wind & Fireという曲とともにワールドミュージック、ジャズ、ブルースの要素を取り入れたものもあり、
バラエティーに富んだ内容。
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums部門で最高位８位を記録。
シングルカットされた３曲は大ヒットとはいかなかったが、それぞれが個性的な素敵な曲。
”Sunday Morning”，”Spend the Night","Two Hearts"
新メンバーのFreddie Ravelが大活躍してるし、
Philip BaileyとMaurice Whiteの美しいハーモニーも複数の曲で楽しめるよ！
Princeをフューチャーした”Super Hiro"はやっぱりわくわくしちゃうよね！
1. Even If You Wonder
(M White, J Lind, N Brown, J Cohen)
2. Sunday Morning
(M White, S Reynolds, A Willis)
3. Blood Brothers
(M White, J Lind, N Brown, B Walsh)
4. Kalimba Interlude
(M White)
5. Spend the Night
(D Thomas)
6. Divine
(Philip Bailey, R seeman, K Barken)
7. Two Hearts
(M White, B Bacharach, P Bailey)
8. Honor the Magic
(M White,F Ravel)
9. Love Is the Greatest Story
(M White, D Lawrence, F Greenberg)
10. The "L" Word
(M White, J Lind, N Brown, A Willis)
11. Just Another Lonely Night
(M White, L Stokes)
12. Super Hero
(Prince)
13. Wouldn't Change a Thing About You
(P Bailey, F Blue)
14. Love Across the Wire
(M White, T Bell, P Bailey)
15. Chicago (Chi-Town) Blues
(M White, J Lind, N Brown, B Walsh)
16. Kalimba Blues
(M White)
Lead Vocals, Kalimba, Percussion/ Maurice White
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey
Bass/ Verdine White
Saxphones/ Andrew Woolfolk
Percussion/ Ralph Johnson
Vocals, Guitar, Tsucanini Keyboards/ Sheldon M Reynolds
Horns
Saxphones/ Gary Bias
Trumpet/ Ray Brown
Trombone/ Reggie Young
1. Even If You Wonder
Produced By Maurice White
Horns Arrangement/ Jerry Hey
Lead Vocals/ Maurice White
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Keyboards/ Nicky Brown,
Synth Bass/ Sheldon Reynolds
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds, Michael Thompson
Bass/ Verdine White
Percussion/ Tim Cornwell
Trumpet/ Jerry Hey, Gary Grant
Saxphones/ Daniel Higgins
Trombone/ William Reichenbach
2. Sunday Morning
Produced By Maurice White
Horns Arrangement/ Thomas Washington
Lead Vocals/ Maurice White
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Keyboards&Synthesizer Programming/Sheldon Reynolds, Mike McKnight
Drum Programming/ Sheldon Reynolds, Maurice White
Synth Bass/ Sheldon Reynolds
Percussion/ Paulinho Da Costa
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds, Michael Thompson
Bass/ Verdine White
Trumpet/ Ray Brown, Micheal Stewart
Saxphones/ Gary Bias
Trombone/ Reggie Young
3. Blood Brothers
Produced By Maurice White
Horns Arrangement/ Thomas Washington
Lead Vocals/ Maurice White & Philip Bailey
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Synthesizer/ Nicky Brown
Rhythm Programming/Sheldon Reynolds, Mike McKnight
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Percussion/ Paulinho Da Costa
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds, Michael Thompson
Bass/ Verdine White
Trumpet/ Ray Brown, Micheal Stewart
Saxphones/ Gary Bias
Trombone/ Reggie Young
Violins/ Bruce Dukov, Barbra Porter, Endre Granat, Sid Page
Berj Garabedian, Haim Shtrum, Clayton Haslop, Dimitrie Leivici
Peter Kent, Henry Ferber, Ron Clark, Armen Garabedian
Celli/ Suzie Katayama, Larry Corbett, Stephen Erdody
Violas/ Robert Becker, Roland Kato, Herschel Wise
4. Kalimba Interlude
Produced By Maurice White
Kalimba/ Maurice White
Keyboards/ Bill Meyers
5. Spend the Night
Produced By Maurice White
Strings & Horns Arrangement/ Bill Meyers
Lead Vocals/ Maurice White
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Synthesizer/ Bill Meyers, Freddie Ravel
Rhythm Programming/ Bill Meyers, Sheldon Reynolds
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Breath Synthesizer Arrangement & Solo / Frddie Ravel
Acoustic Piano/ Bill Meyers
Percussion/ Paulinho Da Costa
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds, Michael Thompson
Bass/ Verdine White
Trumpet/ Ray Brown, Micheal Stewart
Saxphones/ Gary Bias, Gerald Albright
Trombone/ Reggie Young
Violins/ Bruce Dukov, Barbra Porter, Endre Granat, Sid Page
Berj Garabedian, Haim Shtrum, Clayton Haslop, Demitrie Leivici,
Peter Kent, Henry Ferbe, Ron Clark, Armen Garabedian
Celli/ Suzie Katsuyama, Larry Corbett, Stephen Erdoby
Violas/ Robert Becker, Roland Kato, Herschel Wise
6. Divine
Produced By Maurice White
Rhythm Arrangement/ Darnell Spencer
Synth Horn Arrangement / Maurice White
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight, Darnell Spencer
Drum Programming/ Darnell Spencer
Synth Bass/ Darnell Spencer
Keyboards/ Donn Wyatt
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds
7. Two Hearts
Produced By Maurice White
Rhythm Arrangement/ Rex Salas
Synth Horn Arrangement / Maurice White, Mike McKnight
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Drum Programming/ Rex Salas, Mike McKnight
Synth Bass/ Rex Salas, Mike McKnight
Keyboards/ Rex Salas
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds
Saxphones/ Gerald Albright
Additional Keyboards/Burt Bacharach, Claude Gaudette
8. Honor the Magic
Produced By Maurice White & Frddie Ravel
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White
Synthesizer, Drum, Percussion design / Frddie Ravel
Breath Synthesizer/ Frddie Ravel
Acoustic Guitar/ Forge Strunz
Additional Percussion/ Paulinho Da Costa
9. Love Is the Greatest Story
Produced By Maurice White
Horns Arrangement/ Jerry Hey
Lead Vocals/ Maurice White
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Keyboards/ David Lawrence
Rhythm Programming/ David Lawrence, Sheldon Reynolds, Mike McKnight
Synthesizer Programming / Mike McKnight
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds
Percussion/ Tim Cornwell
Trumpet/ Jerry Hey, Gary Grant
Saxphones/ Daniel Higgins
Trombone/ William Reichenbach
10. The "L" Word
Produced By Maurice White
Rhythm Arrangement/ Nicky Brown
Horn Arrangement / Bill Meyers
Lead Vocals/ Maurice White
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Keyboards/ Nicky Brown
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Drum Programming/ Sheldon Reynolds
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds
Percussion/ Paulinho Da Costa
Trumpet/ Ray Brown, Michael Stewart
Saxphones/ Gary Bias
Trombone/ Reggie Young
11. Just Another Lonely Night
Produced By Maurice White
Synth Horn and String Arrangement/ Bill Meyers
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds
Keyboards/ Donn Wyatt
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Drum Programming/ Dimitric Collins
Synth Bass/ Donn Wyatt
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds
Synthesizers / Bill Meyers
12. Super Hero
Produced By Maurice White
Rhythm Arrangement/ Prince
Horns Arrangement / Bill Meyers, Maurice White
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey. Maurice White
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds, Prince
Keyboards & Drum Programming/ Prince
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Synthesizers / Bill Meyers
Additional Programming/ Sheldon Reynolds
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Michael Thompson
Trumpet/ Jerry Hey, Gary Grant
Saxphones/ Daniel Higgins, Larry Williams
Trombone/ William Reichenbach
13. Wouldn't Change a Thing About You
Produced By Maurice White & Frankie Blue
Horns Arrangement / Thomas Washington
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds, Prince
Synthesizers / Frankie Blue, Brad Cole
Rhythm Programming/ Frankie Blue, Sheldon Reynolds
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight, Frankie Blue
Percussion/ Paulinho Da Costa
Piano Solo/ Bill Meyers
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds
Trumpet/ Ray Brown, Michael Stewart
Saxphones/ Gary Bias
Trombone/ Reggie Young
14. Love Across the Wire
Produced By Maurice White
Arrangement/ Maurice White, Mike McKnight
Lead Vocals/ Philip Bailey
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds, Prince
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Drum Programming/ Demitric Collins, Mike McKnight
Synth Bass/ Mike McKnight
Keyboards/ Thom Bell, Donn Wyatt
Guitar/ Michael Thompson
15. Chicago (Chi-Town) Blues
Produced By Maurice White & Bill Meyers
Horns Arrangement / Bill Meyers
Lead Vocals/ Maurice White
Background Vocals/ Philip Bailey, Maurice White, Sheldon Reynolds, Prince
Synthesizer / Bill Meyers, Nicky Brown, Sheldon Reynolds, Mike McKnight
Synthesizer Programming/ Mike McKnight
Synth Bass/ Bill Meyers
Percussion/ Paulinho Da Costa
Bass/ Verdine White
Guitar/ Sheldon Reynolds
Saxphone Solo/ Ronnie Laws
Trumpet/ Ray Brown, Michael Stewart
Saxphones/ Gary Bias, Gerald Albright
Trombone/ Reggie Young
16. Kalimba Blues
Produced By Maurice White
Kalimba/ Maurice White
Keyboards/ Bill Meyers
アース・ウィンド＆ファイヤーが好き！インデックスへ。
EWFのアルバムは全部大好きなのだけど、
このアルバムは得に大好き^^ 曲のアレンジがブラジリアンのものが多くて、聴けば聴くほどに心地良い^^ 歌詞も曲もとってもムーディーでセクシー。新しいEWFを感じさせましたよね^^
Sunday Morningの間奏部分にSerpentine Fireのイントロ部分が使われていたり、The "L" Wordのイントロ部分にShininng Starの出だしの部分が使われていたり、EWF自身が遊び心＆過去の作品へのリスペクトを持って作ったアルバムではないかと思います。